Daria Kozyreva has been fined 40,500 rubles after being found guilty of discrediting the army for statements made during her own trial on similar charges. The Petrogradsky District Court issued the ruling under Article 20.3.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses.
The hearing was difficult for journalists to access, with the date, time, and location not clearly communicated in advance. The courtroom was changed shortly before the start, causing confusion and delay.
Kozyreva participated in the hearing via video link from a pre-trial detention center. She requested a postponement to prepare her defense and review documents, noting that the protocol against her was drawn up without her lawyer present.
During the trial, Kozyreva maintained that her statements were directly related to proving her innocence in the initial criminal case. Her lawyer, Rafail Polyakov, argued that individuals should not be punished for defending themselves during a trial, asserting it impacts the entire legal institution of Russia. He also stated that the defense would challenge the guilty verdict in the criminal case and present the administrative case as evidence of pressure on Kozyreva.
Kozyreva highlighted errors in the protocol, including misquotes and incorrect personal data. Judge Irina Grechishko rejected the defense’s motions before issuing the fine.
Kozyreva was previously sentenced to two years and eight months in a penal colony on April 18 for discrediting the army, based on a poster with a quote from Taras Shevchenko and statements made in an interview. Another administrative protocol had been filed against her for a VKontakte post. She was also previously expelled from St. Petersburg State University’s medical faculty. In 2022, she was involved in a protest inscription on an installation dedicated to the twinning of St. Petersburg and Mariupol, leading to another protocol for discrediting the army.